CEDAR CITY – The quick response and medical background of a worker at the Cedar City Love’s Travel Stop saved a 5-year-old boy Friday who accidentally sprayed gasoline in his face and all over his upper torso.
Tiffany Chambers, a shift leader at the travel stop, came around the corner of the store as she saw a child screaming in the aisle, grabbing his eyes and his parents yelling for help. She smelled the gasoline coming from the boy’s body.
A former EMT with Iron County Ambulance, Chambers picked the boy up and rushed him to the showers in the back, showers the Travel Stop has for truckers on long hauls traveling for weeks at time without going home. She used some nearby soap to decontaminate the child.
Chambers said she was grateful she knew what to do but didn’t see what she did as an act of heroism.
“I just knew that we had to get it washed off as quickly as possible so I just ripped off his shirt and threw him in the shower and used the soap to wash off the gas,” Chambers said.
Meanwhile 911 calls were put in to dispatch who sent support from the Cedar City Fire and Police departments along with Gold Cross Ambulance to the scene.
Medical crews examined the boy and found no serious injuries. However, authorities said his parents privately transported the boy to the Cedar City Hospital for a checkup to be sure he was okay.
“They wanted to double check and make sure he was okay because it got in his eyes,” Fire Chief Mike Phillips said. “His eyes seemed to be OK though.”
The chief acknowledged, however, had Chambers not washed him off as quickly as she did the gasoline could have burned the boy’s eyes.
The boy had been filling up a 5 to 10 gallon gas can when it became too full, Phillips said, causing the gas to splash up and spray on his face and body.
“I think his parents were just trying to let him do something by himself as a big boy because they were there with him and watching him. But I think the gas can filled up faster than anybody thought it would,” Phillips said. “He’s a very lucky little boy.”
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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.
Another superhero! Da da da daaaaaaaa
Five years old and parents let him fill up a gas can? What next? Kid wants to drive the car and parents hand over the keys? The kindergartener has an excuse for lack of maturity. What’s the parents’ excuse?
Wow ! she is a superhero. yep ! ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆
No child endangerment investigation???? Law enforcement seems to have a big problem with follow through in that particular location
In southern Utah Mormon parents get #fundraiser, not charges. (unless the parent is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, then it’s a public stoning) you want to bet $10 they are active Mormon parents?
well, the biggest danger is catching on fire. gasoline is mild as far as toxic chemicals go.
Wow not only is dumbob the Zionist expert he is also a chemist ! isn’t there anything in this world he doesn’t know ?
hope the parents don’t do something even more idiotic next time, LOL
well maybe you could help by teaching them about zionism …..